Apparatus for manufacturing threadlike articles



y 1941- G. P. foRRENcE E AL 2,249,798

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING- THREADLIKE ARTICLES Filed Sept. 4, 1937 5 Sheets-Sh e'et 1 GEORGE P. ORRENCE RICHARD F. BE RGMANNANO \MLTE R E KN EBUSCH July 22,1941. G. P. TORRENCE EIAL 2,249,793 APPARATUS mu MANUFACTURING THREADLIKE ARTICLES Filed Sept. 4, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Z'mventors GEORGE P. TORRENCE R|CHARDF'.BERGMA-N AND WALTER F. KNEBUSCH July 22, 19 1- a. P. TORRENCE ETAL APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THREADLIKE ARTICLES Filed Sept. '4, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,u in

4 M (WWI linnentor GEQRGEPTQRRENcE RICHARDFBERGMANN AND BY mLTl-ZRFKNEBUSCH I M Gttomeg Patented July 22, 1941 APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THREADLIKE; ARTICLES George P. Torrence, Shaker Heights, Richard F. Bergmann, Lakewood, and Walter F. Knebusch, Rocky River, Ohio, assignors to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application September 4, 1937, Serial No. 162,515

6 Claims This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of thread or the like, hereinafter referred to as thread.

Broadly speaking, the invention is directed to apparatus comprising two oppositely disposed banks of thread-storage, thread-advancing devices, the devices in each .being arranged in a plurality of descending series, together with means such as a coagulating trough, spinnerets and associated apparatus disposed intermediate the banks for forming the threads passing to such banks. More particularly, the invention pertains to an arrangement of thread-storage, thread-advancing devices especially well adapted to withdraw the threads from the forming means. The invention may be conveniently employed in connection with apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk thread operating on the same general principle as that shown, claimed and described in prior application Serial No. 7,114, filed February 18, 1935, by Walter F. Knebusch and Alden H, Burkholder (Patent 2,225,- 642). The present invention provides advantages in the construction, operation and control of apparatus for the manufacture of thread by a continuous process, as well as other advantages which will be apparent from the following description. While the apparatus of the presentinvention is capable of use in connection with the'manufacture of thread of various kinds, it will be described hereinafter as applied to the manufacture of viscose artificial silk thread.

Inthe drawings, in which is illustrated one form of the apparatus embodying the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through said apparatus along line li of Figure 2, parts being broken away. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the' apparatus from line 22 of'Figure 1, parts being broken away. Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale from line 3-3 of Figure 4 of one form of thread-storage, thread-advancing device which may be employed in apparatus embodying the present invention. Figure 4' is a front elevation of said device. Figure 5 is a plan from line 55 of Figure 1 of the portion of the apparatus to which the present invention is directed, the cover of one of the gear boxes being removed to show the driving mechanism in the interior of the gear box. 7 Figure 6 is an elevation of a portion of the apparatus of Figure 5, parts being broken away. Figure 7 is a sectional elevation through the gear box along line 1-1 of Figure 5.

In the apparatus illustrated as embodying the present invention, each thread I is formed by extrusion of viscose from spinneret 2 into a coagulating bath 3 contained in trough 4. The thread is withdrawn from the trough 4 by a suitable thread-storage, thread-advancing device 5 which advances it in a plurality of closely spaced, generally helical turns to a point beyond the edge of the trough, thethread then passing downward to the first thread-storage, thread-advancing device of a series of like devices bearing reference numerals 6 to I4, inclusive. On ,each of said devices, thread is stored in a plurality of closely spaced, generally helical turns which are advanced axially of the device, the thread being mean while subjected to suitable processing treatments. After leaving the lowermost device of the series, the thread passes to a suitable collecting means such as cap-twister IS.

The thread-storage, thread-advancing devices preferably take the form of reels supported from one end only, leaving the other end unobstructed by any thing impeding the discharge of the thread turns therefrom, adapted to advance the thread from'the'supported end to the free end thereof in a plurality of closely spaced, generally helical turns. In the illustrated apparatus, the reels are disposediin stepped arrangement with the free ends of all reels extending in the same direction and with the free end of each reel in apposite relation to the supported end of the succeeding reel. Numerous advantages are provided by such an arrangement; for instance, it makes possible ready access to the reels for threading up of the reels, inspection, replacement or repair of the reels, etc.

The reel of Figures 3 and 4, which is typical of the kind of reel employed in the apparatus of. the present invention, operates accordingto the theory and in a manner generally similar to that of the reel shown, described and claimed in copending application Serial No, 652,089, filed January 16, 1933, by Walter F. Knebusch (Patent 2,210,914). The illustrated reel comprises two rigid, generally cylindrical interdigitating cage members I1 and I8. Member ll, which may be termed the concentric member, is mounted concentrically upon and for rotation with drive'shaft l9. Member 18, which may be termed the eccentric member, is rotatably mounted with its axis slightly offset from and inclined to that of concentric member ll. The cage members ll and I8 are respectively made up of bar members 2| and 22, the periphery of concentric member ll comprising a plurality of bar members 2i-equa1 in number to bar members 22 of the eccentric member and disposed alternately therewith,

Concentric member I! may be of the form shown, having the bar members 2| disposed on the periphery of a cylindrical body 23, in which case great rigidity is imparted to the bar members 2|. While concentric member may be mounted on the drive shaft H! in various ways, as shown it is held against a shoulder formed on said drive shaft by cap nut 24 which is threaded on the end of said drive shaft. Inthe embodiment illustrated, concentric member I1 is caused to rotate with drive shaft I9 by means of a pin 25 which passes through drive shaft l9 and extends into a slot 26 formed in the hub of concentric member If desired, concentric member I! may be driven from drive shaft [9 in any other suitable manner.

Eccentric member l8 may be formed of a rigid cage-like member 2'! mounted upon an annular supporting member 28. Said cage-like member 21 is shown as made up of the bar members 22 provided at their outer or unsupported ends with an internal annular supporting rib 29 and at their supported ends with an external annular supporting rib 35 by means of which the cagelike member 21 is mounted upon supporting member 28. Said supporting member 28 is rotatably mounted on frame member 32 with its axis in spaced and inclined relationship with respect to the axis of concentric member l'l. Flexible sealing means 33 may be provided, if desired, to prevent access of corrosive processing liquids to the bearings.

Rotation of the drive shaft l9 causes concentric member l'i fixed thereto to rotate, whereupon contact of the bar members 2| of said concentric member with bar members 22 of eccentric member l8 causes said eccentric member to rotate at the same speed. During such rotation, the thread supplied to the reel is wound thereon, the spaced relationship of the axes of the two reel members causing the thread to transfer from the bar members of one generally cylindrical reel member to those of the other member. Concurrently, the inclined relation of the generally cylindrical members causes the thread to advance longitudinally of the reel in a plurality of closely spaced, generally helical turns, the direction of the inclination of the reel members being, of course, such that the thread is caused to advance in the desired direction lengthwise of the reel during the desired direction of rotation of the reel members.

All of the reels shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention are of the same general type and operate in the same manner..

In part in consequence of the use of a stepped arrangement of reels, the illustrated apparatus comprises two oppositely disposed banks of reels, which banks are, as shown, inclined toward each other. Thus when the machine is viewed endwise, as in Figure 1, that portion of the machine embodying said banks has the appearance of an inverted V. Intermediate of said banks and, particularly in the case of ,the illustrated apparatus, disposed at the apex of the two banks is the coagulating trough 4 which is common to both banks and in which are formed the threads proceeding to the reels of both banks.

As shown in Figure 2 the illustrated embodiment of the invention is constructed so'that a plurality of thread-producing units are disposed lengthwise on each side of the machine along opposite sides of the coagulating trough 4 which extends longitudinally of the machine. Each thread-producing unit comprises a spinneret 2, its associated mass tube 34 and spinning pump 35, reels 5 to M, inclusive, collecting device l5 and other associated apparatus. Corresponding parts of adjacent thread-producing units are disposed in corresponding positions lengthwise of the machine, which feature provides numerous benefits, among them economy in the construction of the apparatus, advantages in driving various portions of the apparatus and in supplying processing medium thereto, advantages in operation of the apparatus, etc.

The frame structure for supporting various portions of the apparatus may be of any suitable design. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, it comprises inclined beams 36 and vertical beams 31 supported by the cross beams 38, uprights 39, and suitable longitudinal members lfl. The upper or thread-forming portion of .the apparatus comprises frame members 4|, each being fixed in a suitable manner to the lower frame members of the apparatus.

Such frame member 4| are disposed at the ends of and at intervals along the machine and serve to support the various parts of the upper portion of the apparatus as a whole. Thus coagulating trough 4 is contained within the vertical uprights and lower cross beams 42 of said frame members 4|, being supported from said cross beams by suitable longitudinally extending members 43 extending between the frame members 4|. Trough 4 is provided with longitudinally extending conduits 44 from which is supplied the coagulating liquid. A plurality of drain conduits 45 are disposed along the central axis of the trough and communicate with a main drain conduit 46, each conduit 45 having its intake at its upper end so that the desired level of liquid in the coagulating trough may be constantly maintained.

The trough 4, as shown in Figure 1, is provided with two working faces extending longitudinally along opposite sides thereof from each of which an operator may have access to mass tubes 34, reels 5 and the associated apparatus disposed on that side of the trough. Along each edge of the trough in the illustrated apparatus is provided a plurality of vertically ex- .tending channels 41 which may, as illustrated,

be disposed between the trough 4 and the waste trough 48 of each working deck 49. Each of said channels 41 not only provides an unobstructed passage for thread I from one of the reels 5 to one of the corresponding reels 6, but also serves to protect the thread during such passage.

Frame member 4| of the illustrated embodiment are provided with upwardly extending members 50, as shown, which support the ventilating duct 52 and upper tracks 53 for sliding doors 54 and 55 on each side of the apparatus. The lower tracks 53 for the sliding doors on each side of the apparatus are supported from spaced members 51 fixed to frame members 4|, which member 5'! serve also to support both the working deck 49 and the brackets 58 which carry the drive shaft 59 and viscose supply line SI for the spinning pumps 35. As shown in Figure 2, the sliding doors 54 and 55 on each side of the apparatus may be retracted to provide access to the spinnerets, reels 5 and associated apparatus for operating purposes. The use of such sliding doors makes it possible to enclose virtually completely the entire upper portion of the machine whereby {the fumes given 01f during the spinning operation may be readily with drawn through duct 52. g

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,. each of the reels 5 is employed as a holding reel; 1. e., a reel which provides anqadditional period for completing the coagulation of the thread.

After each thread leaves its [corresponding reel 5 and passes through its channel 33 to succeeding reelsB .to 14, inclusive, it is subjected to the desired processing treatments. While one or more processing treatments might be applied to the thread while stored on each reel, in the illustrated apparatus one liquid processing treatment is applied on each of the reels 6 to 12, inclusive. Such treatments may include the application to the thread of additional coagulating liquid, desu1phurizing, Washing, bleaching or oiling liquids. v

In the illustrated apparatus, the processing liquid applied tothe thread on each of said reels is supplied from a suitable reagent distributor 62 which is supplied with liquid from a conduit 63 extending lengthwise of the machine and serving corresponding reels in a given horizontal series. The liquid is collected in a suitable trough 64 disposed below the reel, said trough extending longitudinally of the machine and likewiseserving corresponding reels in a single horizontal series. Each trough may communicate with the sewer if it is desired to use the liquid collected thereon only once, as might be the case with wash water, or the trough may communicate with suitable re-circulating and make-up means if the liquid is one which it is desired to re-use. The means for supplying and removing processing liquids to the machine are not shown, since they may take any suitable form.

On reels it no processing liquid is applied; instead, the excess liquid applied on the preceding reel is allowed to drip from the thread before it is passed to the drying stage; e. g., to reel l4. While various means may be employed 'for drying the thread on the reel, the drying reel I4 is preferably of the type shown, claimed and described in the prior application Serial No. 129,348, filed March 9, 1937, by Alden I-I. Burkholder (Patent 2,189,195). With such a reel, drying'is accomplished by heating the reel, and consequently the thread thereon, by means of a heated liquid supplied through hollow drive shaft 65 to a chamber contained in the interior of the reel. Pipes 66 and 61 extending along each side of the machine may be provided to supply the heated liquid and remove thespent liquid from a plurality of drying reels disposed along each side of the apparatus. If desired, a suitable enclosure iiil'may be provided about each drying reel.

The number of reels on which the thread may I be processed may, of course, be more or less than that shown, depending upon the number and kind of processing treatments it is desired to apply to the thread.

In the illustrated apparatus, reels 6 to M, inclusive, of each descending series are mounted on an inclined beam ll fixed to the frame of the machine. Each of said reels ina single series is driven by means of gears 12 and 13 from a drive shaft 74 disposed along beam H. The drive shafts 14 for each bank are driven through gears 15 and 16 from a drive shaft 11 extending longitudinally of the machine. and driven by suitable means. The driving means shown are, of course, purely illustrative, any other type of driving means being equallywithin the purview of the present invention. 7

The cap-twisters to which the thread passes after leaving drying reels l4 may be actuated by any suitable means. In the illustrated apparatus, lifting rails 18 on opposite sides of the apparatus which serve to support the bobbin-supporting whirls "I8 of a plurality of cap-twisters l5 are connected by transverse beams 8|. The lifting rails '18 and transverse beams 8| are guided by means of guide rods 82 fixed by suitable brackets 83 to the frame of the machine. A reciprocatory motion may be imparted to the lifting rails by the apparatus illustrated comprising cam 84, earn lever 85 and chains 86 and 81. The whirls of adjacent cap-twisters on each side of the machine may be rotated by means .of a belt 88 driven by a rapidly rotating drum .89. It is apparent that various other types of collecting apparatus may be employed, if desired.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is provided with upper and lower platforms 9| and 92 from which platforms operators may have access to different portions of the machine. Upper platforms 9 I, from which the operators may have access to coagulating trough 4, spinnerets 2, reels 5, and associated apparatus, may be supported by cross beams 93 bolted to the frame of the machine, being provided with suitable guardrails 94. Lower platforms 92,, from which the operators may haveaccess to the processing reels, may be supported by stanchions 95, suiiicient head room being preferably provided between the floor and lowerplatforms 92 and between platforms 9i and 92 to permit the operators to stand upright. Hand rails 96 supported from the cross beams 93 for the upper platforms may be provided for the operators working on platforms 92.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to rotate from a common drive shaft extending longitudinally of the apparatus the oppositely disposed reels 5 positioned above the coagulating trough, this because of the numerous constructional and other advantages which follow from the use of such a drive mechanism. Thus in the illustrated apparatus the invention is particularly concerned with the method of supporting and driving the reels 5, with the relationship of said reels to each other, and with the relationship of said reels to the succeeding processing reels. As will hereinafter appear, the problem of supporting and driving the reels 5 is complicated by several factors. I

It is desirable that the processing reels to which the threads proceed from each pair of reels 5; i. e., the reels- 6 on opposite sides of the apparatus, shall be disposed with their axes in a common vertical plane. It is also desirable that the axes of all succeeding reels of the correspond ing descending series on opposite sides of the apparatus shall be disposed in the same plane. Such a relationship of the reels, which is incorporated in the illustrated embodiment of the in- ,vention, is advantageous, among other reasons,

because it makes possible the constructionof a machine which is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis, resulting in simplification of the machine. 1

If, for instance, reels 6 to l4 ,zinclusive,in corresponding descending series on opposite sides of the machine were. not disposed with their ,axes substantially in a common vertical plane, but were disposed in offset planes, the banks of reels on opposite sides of the machine would be in staggered relation with respect to each other lengthwise of the machine; so that a certain amount of space would be wasted at one end of each bank of reels. Inasmuch as in apparatus of the type illustrated it is desirable for constructional reasons that the machine be provided with frame members spaced longitudinally of the machine at intervals of about ten reels, it is apparent that such a loss of space would occur at each such subdivision of the machine. Since, moreover, each machine may include as many as fifty or more thread-producing units on a side, it is further apparent that the space thus lost might be very considerable. If, however, corresponding series of reels on opposite sides of the machine are disposed with their axes substantially in the same plane, as made possible by the present invention, this loss of space does not occur.

Moreover, if corresponding series of reels on opposite sides of the machine are not disposed directly opposite each other, corresponding twisting devices on opposite sides of the machine will not be positioned directly opposite each other and, consequently, the construction of the twisting apparatus will be very considerably complicated. For instance, it would be impossible in such circumstances to connect the lifting rails on opposite sides of the machine by means of transverse beams 8| as shown, since the rails on opposite sides of the machine would not be in corresponding positions lengthwise of the machine. Moreover, if the twisting devices on opposite sides of the apparatus were not disposed directly opposite each other, it would be impossible to drive the twister whirls on opposite sides of the machine from a single drum extending longitudinally of the machine, as may under certain conditions be desirable.

The problem is further complicated by the fact that it is desirable to rotate the reels in the banks on opposite sides of the apparatus in the same clockwise direction. This is desirable because it is possible under such circumstances to make the parts of all similar reels on both sides of the apparatus identical, which makes for interchangeability of parts. In the illustrated-apparatus, therefore, the reels in each bank rotate in the same direction with respect to a person facing the bank. This, however, requires that corresponding reels on opposite sides of the machine, including the oppositely disposed reels 5 positioned above the coagulating trough 4, rotate in opposite directions relative to each other.

It is also desirable that the discharge ends of the reels 5 be disposed substantially vertically above the discharge ends of the next succeeding processing reels on the same side of the machine.

Inasmuch as reels 5 on opposite sides of the apparatus are driven in opposite directions relative to each other, it is apparent that they must be driven independently of each other, since corresponding opposite reels 5 could not be driven from a common shaft extending at right angles to the trough due to the fact that the reels would rotate in the same direction relative to each other. Moreover, it is desirable that the axes of the reels 5 be disposed substantially in the same horizontal plane, this because of complications which would otherwise 'be introduced into the design and construction of the apparatus. For instance,'ifthe reels 5 were not disposed in a common horizontal plane, the height ofthe apparatus would be increased and the design of the apparatus would be complicated due to the fact that the clearances provided for swinging out the mass tubes, etc., would not be the same for all reels.

The problem is rendered even more difficult by the fact that it is desirable for operating purposes to provide clutch means for disengaging each of said reels from the longitudinally extending drive shaft without halting the other reels on the same drive shaft. One of the primary requisites of the illustrated apparatus is that the width of the upper portion of the apparatus be as small as possible, since this width to a very great extent determines the width of the floor space occupiedby the machine. Obviously, the width of the upper portion of the apparatus is determined to a large extent by the distance between outer ends of opposite reels 5. It is evident that the introduction of clutch means into the small permissible space involves a very considerable problem.

All such difiiculties are, however, obviated by the present invention.

In the illustrated apparatus and as shown to particular advantage in Figures 5 to 7, inclusive, reels 5 on opposite sides of the machine are driven from a common drive shaft 98 extending longitudinally of the machine. Each of reels 5 is rotated from said drive shaft 98 by means of a gear 99 meshing with a gear I00 fixed to the reel drive shafts l0l. Since helical gears are employed in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the helix angles for the gears driving the reels on opposite sides of the machine are chosen to rotate the reels in the desired opposite directions relative to each other. As shown, the axes of reels 5 are disposed at spaced intervals along drive shaft 98, the spacing being sufficient to permit the reel drive shafts to be individually driven.

As shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, corresponding reels 6 on opposite sides of the machine are disposed with their axes in a common vertical plane A-B, the direction of rotation of the reels 5 and 6 on the same side of the machine being the same. As shown, the axes of reels 5 are disposed at an angle to the drive shaft 98 so as to bring the thread discharge point of each reel 5 into the desired relationship with the receiving point of the succeeding reel 6. Thus the point C at which the thread leaves each reel 5 is disposed generally above the entrance to the vertically disposed channel 41, below which lies the thriead-receiving portion of the next succeeding ree Inasmuch as in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the reels 6 on opposite sides of the machine are of equal diameters at the threadreceiving portions thereof, vertical planes perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft 98 and taken through the points 0 at which the threads leave a pair of oppositely disposed corresponding reels 5 are spaced from each other by an amount substantially equal to said diameter of the reels 6. Similarly, since the reels 5 are of equal diameters on the thread discharge portions, vertical planes taken perpendicular to the axis of drive shaft 98 through the points C are spaced from each other by an amount substantially equal to the diameters of reels 5.

While the mounting and driving means for reels 5 may be of various forms, that illustrated has been found preferable. A plurality of reels 5 are carried by a gear box I03 which thus serves to support the reels, house the driving gears, provide a lubricant reservoir, etc. While any dewith no difliculty whatsoever from the thread sired number of reels might be carried by each gear box, in the embodiment shown each gear box carries two adjacent reels for each side of the machine or four reels in all. Such an arrangement provides advantages as to cost, since gear boxes of this size can be more readily manufactured and machined than larger gear boxes, as well as advantages in the aligning of the drive shaft 98 with respect to the gear boxes, etc. The frame members I04 for the reels are fixed to the gear boxes in the desired position, the reeldrive shafts IOI extending into the gear box and being journalled in the opposite walls thereof.

Longitudinally extending drive shaft 98 is, in the illustrated embodiment, journalled in a single bearing I05 in each gear box, said bearing being supported by ribs I06 extending across the gear box. Suitable thrust collars I01 are provided on each side of the bearing to prevent endwise movement of the shaft. However, by the employ ment of an equal number of helical gears in each gear box on half of which gears the helix angles are oppositely inclined, the thrust on the shaft 98 is almost, if not entirely, compensated for. When only a single journal bearing I05 is employed in each gear box, the problem of aligning the gear boxes with respect to the longitudinally extending drive shaft 98, which may extend through several such gear boxes, is considerably simplified. Suit able lubricant retaining rings I08 may be provided on the drive shaft 98 in the interior of each gear box adjacent the opening therein through which the shaft passes to prevent the escape of lubricant.

As previously indicated, it is desirable to provide clutch means for halting the rotation of each individual reel 5 without the necessity of halting the other reels. This is desirable since it is often necessary to halt the reels for inspection, cleaning, or replacement thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, each reel drive shaft IOI has slidably mounted thereon and fixed for rotation therewith a clutch member I 09 adapted to engage a mating clutch member fixed to the gear 99 which is rotatably mounted on the reel drive shaft IOI. Said slidable clutch member I09 is adapted to be actuated by means of a shifter fork I I0 mounted on a rod I I I extending through the wall of the gear box and provided with a handle I I2 by means of which the clutch may be actuated from a convenient point outside of the gear box.

As shown, each gear box I 03 is provided with a removable cover plate II4, a lubricant filler plug II5, drain plug H6 and lubricant gauge rod 1. While the gear boxes I03 may be supported in various manners, in the illustrated embodiment they are bolted through lugs II 8 fixed thereto to structed, which is advantageous for operating purposes. 7

The present invention provides numerous advantages in addition to those brought out in the foregoing description. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, after a thread I is led reel above it, the axes f which lower t e dadvancing reels lie in substantially the same ver-' from its spinneret 2, which may, as shown in Figure 5, be disposed virtually below the thread-receiving portion of its corresponding reel 5, itis started on such reel 5. After the reel is completely threaded up, the thread may be dropped discharge point C of the reel 5 through channel 41 to the next lower reel Gby which it may be started by the operator working on lowerplat Such advantages are provided even though the reels 5 on opposite sides of the machine are driven from a common drive shaft in opposite directions relative to each other. Because the reels are driven from a common drive shaft and despite the fact that clutch means are provided for each of the reels 5, the width of the upper portion of the apparatus is much less than would otherwise be possible, hence the overall width of the app-aratus is much less than would be possible if means for driving reels 5 otherthan the means of the present invention were to, be employed. Furthermore, since the present invention makes it possible to obtain the desiredrelationship of the upper reels 5 with respect to the lower reels, channels 33, and coagulating trough 4, the overall length of the machine is considerably less than would otherwise be the case.

It, is obvious that the invention may be employed in connectionwith apparatus difierent from the particular embodiment illustrated and that variousmodifications may be m-adein the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, threadstorage, thread-advancing devices other than the particular type illustrated may be employed. In

' invention.

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for handling thread comprislng a pair of oppositely-extending thread-advancing reels the axes of which lie in parallel vertical planes; individual drive shafts for said threadadvancing reels, the axis of each of said drive shafts being disposed in substantial'parallelism to the axis of its corresponding reel; a common drive shaft disposed between and extending transversely of said thread-advancing reels with the axes of said individual drive shafts crossing the axis of said common drive shaft at an acute angle; means directlyconnecting said common drive shaft to the individual drive shafts of said thread-advancing reelsin such manner as to require said thread-advancing reels to rotate in opposite directions; and, mounted'at a lower level than but extending in the same general direction as said first-mentioned thread-advancing reels, a pair of oppositely-extending thread-advancing reels likewise rotated in opposite directions in such manner that each of said thread-advancing reels rotates in the same angular direction as the corresponding first-mentioned thread-advancing tical plane, the relation of each pair of upper and lower thread-advancing reels being suchas to permit the passage of a thread from each of said upper thread-advancing reels directly to its' Corresponding lower thread-advancing reel in a substantially vertical path.

2. Apparatus for handling thread comprising a pair of oppositely extending thread-advancing reels the axes of which lie in substantially the same vertical plane; means for rotating said thread-advancing reels in opposite directions relative to each other; a common drive shaft disposed above and extending transversely of said thread-advancing reels in such manner that a vertical plane passed through it lies between said thread-advancing reels; a second pair of oppositely-extending thread-advancing reels disposed so that they lie (0.) on opposite sides of said common drive shaft, (1)) above and extending in the same general direction as said first-mentioned thread-advancing reels, and (c) with their axes lying in parallel vertical planes intersecting said common drive shaft at an acute angle; individual drive shafts for said upper threadadvancing reels, the axis of each of said drive shafts being disposed in substantial parallelism to the axis of its corresponding reel; and means directly connecting each of said individual drive shafts to said common drive shaft for rotating said upper thread-advancing reels in opposite directions relative to each other in such manner that each of said upper thread-advancing reels rotates in the same angular directionas its corresponding lower thread-advancing reel, the distance between the parallel vertical planes in which the axes of said upper reels are disposed, and the acute angle which said planes make with said common drive shaft being such that the point at which the thread leaves each of said upper thread-advancing reels lies substantially in a vertical plane tangent to its corresponding lower thread-advancing reel and containing the point at which the thread starts on said lower thread-advancing reel.

3. Apparatus for handling thread comprising a pair of oppositely-extending thread-advancing reels the axes of which are spaced from but extend longitudinally of each other; individual drive shafts for said thread-advancing reels, the axis of each of said drive shafts being disposed in substantial parallelism to the axis of its corresponding reel; a common drive shaft disposed between and extending transversely of said threadadvancing reels with the axes of said individual drive shafts crossing the axis of said common drive shaft at points spaced longitudinally of said common drive shaft; means directly connecting said common drive shaft to the individual drive shafts of said thread-advancing reels; and, mounted at a lower level than but extending in the same general direction as said first-men- ,tioned thread-advancing reels, a pair of oppositely-extending thread-advancing reels likewise rotated in opposite directions in such manner that each of said thread-advancing reels rotates in the same angular direction as the corresponding first-mentioned thread-advancing reel above it the axes of which lower thread-advancing reels lie in substantially the same vertical plane, the relation of each pair of upper and lower threadadvancingreels being such as to permit the passage of a thread from each of said upper threadadvancing reels directly to its corresponding lower thread-advancing reel in a substantially vertical path.

4. Apparatus for handling thread comprising a pair of oppositely-extending thread-advancing reels the axes of which lie in substantially the same vertical plane; means for rotating said thread-advancing reels in opposite directions relative to each other; a common drive shaft disposed above and extending transversely of said thread-advancing reels in such manner that a vertical plane passed through it lies between said thread-advancing reels; a second pair of oppositely-extending thread-advancing reels disposed so that they lie (a) on opposite sides of said common drive shaft, (1)) above and extending in the same general direction as said first-mentioned threadadvancing reels, and (c) with their axes lying in separate vertical planes intersecting said common drive shaft at points spaced longitudinally thereof; individual drive shafts for said upper thread-advancing reels; and means directly connecting each of said individual drive shafts to said common drive shaft for rotating said upper thread-advancing reels in opposite directions relative to each other in such manner that each of said upper thread-advancing reels rotates'in the same angular direction as its corresponding lower thread-advancing reel, each of said upper thread-advancing reels being so disposed with respect to its corresponding lower thread-advancing reel that the point at which the thread leaves each of said upper thread-advancing reels lies substantially in a vertical plane tangent to its corresponding lower thread-advancing reel and containing the point at which the thread starts on said lower thread-advancing reel.

5. Apparatus for manufacturing thread comprising a longitudinally-extending trough having two spaced longitudinally-extending walls; means for forming a plurality of threads in said trough; a pair of substantially vertical channels associated with said trough on opposite longitudinally-extending sides thereof through which channels threads pass downward from said trough; a pair of oppositely-extending rotatable threadadvancing reels disposed below said channels to which the threads pass from said channels, said devices being disposed with their axes substantially horizontal but in the same vertical plane; means for rotating said thread-advancing reels in opposite directions relative to each other; a drive shaft extending above and longitudinally of said trough; a pair of oppositely-disposed rotatable thread-advancing reels, corresponding to said reels disposed below said channels, disposed above said trough with their axes at an angle to the longitudinal direction of said trough, spaced from but extending longitudinally of each other, and crossing said drive shaft at spaced points, with the thread-receiving portion of each threadadvancing reel over said trough, and withthe thread-discharge point of each thread-advancing reel directly over one of said channels, each of which thread-advancing reels operates to withdraw a thread from said thread-forming means and pass it downward through its corresponding channel to the corresponding thread-advancing reel below said channel; and means for directly connecting each of said upper thread-advancing reels to said drive shaft for rotating said upper thread-advancing reels in opposite directions relative to each other but in such manner that eachupper thread-advancing reel rotates in the same angular direction as the corresponding thread-advancing reel below it, the disposition of said upper thread-advancing reels being such that their axes cross that of said drive shaft at points sufiiciently spaced longitudinally of said drive shaft to provide room on said longitudinally-extending drive shaft for the means connecting each of said upper thread-advancing reels on the same side thereof and are disposed in parto said drive shaft while permitting the thread to allel vertical planes which are inclined to the pass from each upper reel to each lower reel in axis of said drive shaft. a substantially vertical path.

6. Apparatus of the character described in 5 GEORGE P. TORRENCE. claim 5 in which the axes of said upper thread- RICHARD F. BERGMANN. advancing reels cross said common drive shaft WALTER F. KNEBUSCH. 

